German tier 1 supplier ZF has introduced SolarBoost, a retrofittable solar panel system designed to support the 24-volt on-board electrical systems of city buses and coaches. The technology generates electricity during vehicle operation to recharge batteries, intended to reduce fuel consumption and maintenance requirements for fleet operators.

The system reduces the load on the drive engine by providing an alternative power source for on-board systems, which are traditionally supplied by the alternator. According to ZF, the additional energy can reduce fuel consumption by up to 3.5 percent, depending on weather conditions and application profiles.

The company states that key benefits for operators include battery longevity, as continuous recharging extends battery life. ZF reports potential savings equivalent to one battery per vehicle per year.

Furthermore, it enhances uptime by reduced requirement for stationary battery recharges and lower maintenance frequency. The system includes Bluetooth connectivity, allowing operators to track energy generation in real-time via a mobile application.

SolarBoost utilises a plug-and-play architecture designed for installation in an operator's own workshop using standard tools. The process does not require drilling into the vehicle structure or extensive rewiring, allowing for fleet-wide scaling with minimal disruption to service.

The hardware is engineered to withstand vibrations and weather conditions associated with heavy-duty transit. ZF provides a 5-year warranty and repair kits to support the long-term durability of the flexible panels.

The product is positioned as a scalable solution for bus operators to meet environmental targets. By utilizing renewable energy for electrical loads, the system assists in reducing the carbon footprint of intercity and urban transport fleets. It aligns with ZF’s broader strategy to deliver innovations that improve vehicle efficiency while supporting climate-friendly mobility.

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L&T Technology Services (LTTS), a leading engineering research & development (ER&D) company, has concluded its Engineering Intelligence (EI) OpenHack 2026, an innovation challenge held simultaneously across nine locations in India, the US and Europe. The event involved nearly 4,000 engineers across 770 teams.

Participants worked on over 500 challenge statements related to software-defined mobility, plant modernisation, energy, automation and AI infrastructure. The solutions developed during the 24-hour event focused on areas such as industrial automation, cybersecurity, autonomous systems and healthcare.

A jury evaluated the entries based on innovation, technical execution, scalability and relevance. The winning teams received prizes totalling over INR 3 million. Promising projects were selected for further development through the company’s Project Equinox platform and patent-worthy concepts were identified for intellectual property recognition.

Mritunjay Kumar Singh, Chief Operating Officer, L&T Technology Services, said, “The EI OpenHack 2026 reflects LTTS’ vision of Engineering Intelligence, where engineering expertise and AI come together to solve real-world industry challenges. What stood out was not only the scale of participation, but the ability of our engineers to apply contextual understanding, domain knowledge and AI prowess to develop solutions with tangible business relevance. Initiatives like OpenHack create opportunities for our talent to experiment, collaborate and develop solutions that will shape the future of engineering.”

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Renault India has entered a partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur to conduct vehicle research and development. The collaboration will see Renault India use the National Wind Tunnel Facility (NWTF) at the institute for aerodynamic and wind-noise testing of its vehicles.

The NWTF is equipped with a test section measuring 3.0 m x 2.25 m, capable of speeds between 80 kmph and 280 kmph. It is currently being upgraded to support speeds above 400 kmph.

Dr. Vikraman V, Chief of Engineering, Renault Group India, said, "This partnership marks an important step in strengthening Renault's engineering capabilities in India. By collaborating with IIT Kanpur and leveraging the National Wind Tunnel Facility, we are bringing together world-class research infrastructure and Renault's global engineering expertise to develop futuREady vehicles. This collaboration also reflects India's growing importance within Renault's global innovation and engineering ecosystem."

Prof. Dr. Alakesh Chandra Mandal, Department of Aerospace Engineering & Co-Ordinator, NWTF, said, "We are pleased to partner with Renault India in advancing automotive research and development. This collaboration highlights the versatility of the National Wind Tunnel Facility and represents an important opportunity to extend our expertise beyond aerospace applications to support innovation in the automotive sector."

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Sun Mobility has introduced a modular multi-battery swappable solution for heavy electric vehicles, showcased on the Tata Starbus 12m EV platform at the Prawaas 5.0 exhibition in Gandhinagar.

The system aims to address barriers to fleet electrification, such as charging downtime and upfront vehicle costs. It enables the simultaneous swapping of two batteries in under five minutes. The architecture supports 50 kWh and 100 kWh configurations and is compatible with vehicles ranging from 3T to 55T gross vehicle weight. Through a Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS) model, operators pay for energy consumption rather than purchasing the battery pack.

Chetan Maini, Co-Founder and Chairman, Sun Mobility, said, "When we founded Sun Mobility, our vision was to make electric mobility as convenient, scalable, and economically viable as conventional transport by reimagining energy infrastructure. The unveiling of the world's first Modular Multi-Battery Swappable Solution demonstrated with Tata Starbus EV at Prawaas 5.0 marks a defining milestone in that journey. We believe the modular multi-battery swapping solution has the potential to unlock large-scale electrification across the commercial vehicle ecosystem by delivering a cost-effective and operationally efficient energy solution for diverse applications. As India accelerates its transition to clean mobility, technologies designed and built here can not only transform commercial transportation at home but also position India as a global leader in next-generation electric mobility solutions."

Ashok Agarwal, CEO, Sun Mobility HEV, added, “The next phase of electrification will not be defined solely by vehicles, but by the energy ecosystems that power them. Our showcase of World’s first Modular Multi-Battery Swappable Solution on the Tata Starbus EV platform demonstrates how one battery swapping platform can serve staff, city transit, and intercity fleets alike, without compromising on affordability or operational reliability. We see this as a real step towards mass adoption of EVs in commercial transportation.”

The system operates on an intelligent network that tracks battery health, location and energy usage. It also utilises a digital twin platform to support predictive maintenance and fault diagnosis. The technology is developed in-house and is intended to be OEM-agnostic, supporting bus and truck segments from 7 to 13.5 metres and 3T to 55T gross vehicle weight.

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LICO Materials and Ather Energy have announced a partnership to establish a system for the collection and recycling of lithium-ion batteries.

Under this agreement, end-of-life batteries from Ather’s electric two-wheelers will be processed at LICO Materials' facility in Karnataka. The recovered materials will then be reintroduced into the battery supply chain for use by cell manufacturers and vehicle producers.

The initiative aims to address the recovery of materials including lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and copper. LICO Materials states that its facility can achieve recovery rates of up to 95 percent.

Gaurav Dolwani, CEO, LICO Materials, said, "India is building one of the world's largest EV fleets and it is doing without domestic reserves of the minerals that power it. That is a structural vulnerability, and battery circularity is the only answer. This partnership means those batteries can be recycled and recovered minerals can be fed into the battery supply chain. We believe this is how India can reduce its dependence on imported critical materials.”

This collaboration aligns with the Battery Waste Management Rules 2022, which require extended producer responsibility within the electric vehicle industry. By recycling battery materials, the companies intend to reduce reliance on imported minerals and support India’s commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2070.

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